2008 Fitness Challenge for TCS Members

Let's make 2008 the year we get our bodies moving and more active.

At the beginning of January I started into a physical rehab program at one of the Wellness Centres where I live. When I first got there I could bearly even do 10 minutes on a treadmill at a slow walk. At the 10 minute mark I was panting and puffing and my pulse was nearly 140 bpm! One month later I've nearly doubled my pace and have increased my time by 5! Plus have added in other activities such as resistance and aquafit.

The results after a month?

1. My mood has improved.
2. I've lost 11 pounds as of January 25th.
3. I sleep better at night
4. I have more energy
5. My self esteem has improved. My 11 pounds is not visibly noticable, but I know about it and I feel "thinner" which motivates me even more to keep going.
6. My blood pressure is lower
7. I'm feeling more limber and not as stiff, because my muscles are slowly lengthening.

So here is my challenge to everyone here.

Let's all make it our mission to get up off the couch and away from the computer more often in order to get ourselves more active and fit.

Everyday we each need to do some form of exercise for 1 full hour!

For example: walking, biking, treadmill, running, aerobics, tennis, badminton, basketball, skating, skiing, weights, yoga, pilates, martial arts ... anything that gets your heart pumping and your body moving.

Remember, that we are all at different fitness and health levels, so work with your body. This isn't a race as to who can do the most or the best. So don't worry if one person can run 20 miles every day and all you can do is walk around the block once.

After you are done your activity, come here to this thread and let us know about it. So bookmark this thread so you can easily find it.

Remember, you are on the honour system so if you "cheat" and say that you did something but didn't, you are only cheating yourself.

If you want, you can add your starting weight and post your progress. I recommend not weighing yourself daily because numbers go up and down. Weigh once per month if you want to keep track of your weight.

Since weight loss is a huge necessity for me and it's one of my goals, I will post my last weight and post as I see progress.

January 25, 2008: 364.8 pounds = 165.47 kilograms.

My target weight is 160 pounds = 72.57 kilograms.

I have to lose more than 1/2 of my current body weight.

So come on TCS! We can do it! Who knows, by the end of the year our combined weight loss could be in the several hundred pound range! Imagine how much bacon fat that is!!!

But that would interfer with my TCS Addiction

I'm in. I've put on 10 kg since I had to stop doing triathlons because of my heart condition. Heart is now fixed, and I need to be walk, walk, walking each day for my heart, and I want to a triathlon with my neighbour in the summer - I'm going to swim and bike, and she'll run.

I don't care about losing a particular number of kilos, as I'm probably just going to get pregnant again before the year is out, but I want to have a regular exercise regime and feel good about myself again!

Originally Posted by lunasmom

But that would interfer with my TCS Addiction

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Here are some stretching exercises The first link you can do right in your chair

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/stretching/c-exercise.htm

http://agingwell.state.ny.us/fitness/stretch/index.htm

http://www.shapefit.com/stretching-exercises.html


Do each stretching exercise 3 to 5 times at each session.

Slowly stretch into the desired position, as far as possible without pain, and hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Relax, then repeat, trying to stretch farther.

Sounds good to me...I'm in

its great to hear that it is helping you feel better!!
i saved this one http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/stretching/c-exercise.htm

Does getting up from the chair, walking to the fridge, and grabbing another beer count?

I really need to lose some weight. It's not helping my bad back at all. I can't walk through the grocery store for more than five minutes without it giving out. I supposed I could use the bike at Bally's but I need to renew my membership first.

With the hours I work my biggest nemesis is fast food. I'm also not consistent with going to the grocery store. A few years ago I was getting in the best shape of my life. I would go to the gym and start by stretching and walking a half mile around the track to warm up then I would jog two to three miles and walk another half mile afterwards. After that I would go work on whichever group of muscles I had scheduled for that day. After that I would ride the bike for 20-40 minutes depending on how I was feeling and how I was doing on time. I would finish by walking another half mile. I was going to back in the Army and do a few years in 2003 then I threw my back out.

I hurt my back last July, holding abdominal wall retractors for 10 hours in surgery. I did three months of physical therapy, and when I finished, they said if I didn't continue with my exercises I'd be back within 6 months. Since October, I exercise every night after work at the hospital fitness center where I did my physical therapy (unless I'm on call.) I notice many of the same benefits you do. I sleep better, I have more energy and I've lost weight. I don't know the exact amount, but I've gone down 2 sizes in jeans. I've also added 1/2 hour each night on my own treadmill, because it really helps loosen up my lower back muscles.....even better than the weight training that I started doing for the muscle spasms. My Christmas present to myself was a TV in the basement to watch while I walk on the treadmill!

At the beginning of the year, I added a diet change. I've completely cut out fried foods and working very diligently on cutting out refined sugar. I haven't completely eliminated it yet, but I've been working very hard at it (I'm a really bad carb-aholic.) I would like to lose about 45 pounds by summer...I'm guessing that would take me down at least another 2 sizes in jeans. I suppose I really should purchase a new set of bathroom scales, lol!

Count me in!!!

I have several stretches I should be doing to strengthen my core area and some walking might help me some. Unfortunately anything that really gets my "heart pumping" is bad - just standing does enough.
I'm convinced that treadmills are a type of torture device.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Here are some stretching exercises

The first link you can do right in your chair

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/stretching/c-exercise.htm

http://agingwell.state.ny.us/fitness/stretch/index.htm

http://www.shapefit.com/stretching-exercises.html


Do each stretching exercise 3 to 5 times at each session.

Slowly stretch into the desired position, as far as possible without pain, and hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Relax, then repeat, trying to stretch farther.

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Thanks!

I don't need to lose weight, just maintain it. You're right though, when you do exercise you're aura changes. When I kickboxed (hitting weights but aerobically) I had less aggression...I was SOOOO relaxed.

I just need to finish off my cold so I can breath when I go back.

This isn't necessarily about losing weight. However, that is a side benefit of getting active, for those of us who do have to lose some poundage.

Getting active has all kinds of positive benefits for the body:

1. your body feels more stable and balanced
2. you lower your blood pressure if it's high
3. you lower your cholesterol
4. you feel stronger
5. you have more energy and don't feel tired and run down
6. you don't get sick as often
7. your heart becomes stronger and more efficient
8. you sleep better
9. you feel more relaxed
10. your self esteem improves whether you want it to or not because we are a superficial society so when we start to look better we start to feel better about ourselves!
11. you help reduce your chance of heart disease and heart attack and stroke (lower cholesterol, and lower blood pressure)
12. moving keeps your blood flowing and helps prevent strokes from blood clots.
13. when you work out you build lean muscle and that increases your metabolism, so you burn more calories which means you can eat more (eventually)!

So there are all kinds of positive benefits to getting up and active. It's not about losing the weight. It's about taking care of the only body and heart that you have.

This challenge isn't about losing weight. It's about getting more physically active to improve our physical health and strength.

However, the bonus for those of us who have weight to lose, is that with a dietary change to reduce fat and salt and carbs, we will also see weight loss

Everyone should be doing some kind of special physical activity other than walking to and from their cars or the fridge. The body was designed to move, not to sit in front of a TV or computer.

So even if you don't have weight to lose, you should still be doing 30 to 60 minutes of cardio type activity every single day for optimum health benefits.

For those who do have to lose weight, I'm pretty good at putting together balanced meal plans based on required food groups, so no calorie or fat or carbohydrate counting involved!! If anyone wants some help putting together a sensible eating plan for themselves I would be happy to help. You can send me a PM with a list of foods that you DON'T like and if you are diabetic. I will put together a selection of 5 breakfast, lunch and dinner menus for you.

Unfortunately if there are lots of requests, I may not be able to do everyone's so this offer is open to those on a first come basis, and I'll do as many as I can as time and my health allow.

Originally Posted by lunasmom

I don't need to lose weight, just maintain it.

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Same here. But I'm still going to stick to my current schedule and I'll be here to help support you guys. Good luck everyone.

P.S. If you ever want some help with this, just post a question or send me a PM. I've been doing stuff like this for about 8 years. Mostly weight training but I know a lot about other areas as well.

I'm (half) in. I know I won't make an hour everyday but probably most days. I'm getting a big balance ball this week so that will help. I'd like to get my husband up and moving too (he has high BP) but for us together it's easier if the weather is nice enough to go out for a walk. I know, they are all just excuses and that's my biggest problem.

I do some little things everyday though like parking further away, taking the stairs and while at work I stop every hour or so to stretch.

Originally Posted by twstychik

I do some little things everyday though like parking further away, taking the stairs and while at work I stop every hour or so to stretch.

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Yes, that counts! So does doing stretches as you stand in the shower, stand at the sink washing dishes or brushing your teeth, waiting for an elevator and even driving to work.

Count me in!!!

Once again I put on some winter "hibernation weight" and while I can lose some of it once spring arrives and I'm back to work and working in y=my own gardens the weight has crept up!!

Bad thing is I really like to walk outside vs the treadmill in the family room but with this snowy winter and living "out in the country" its not an option most of the winter.

What I have started doing though is writing on my calendar the time and distance I have walked though. One can see how it adds up!!

My downfall is that I enjoy wine too much and beer to some extent. So I am trying to limit to only one bottle of wine/week that I can only have Thur-Sun or 2 beers at week.
It seems too be working ok vs cutting it out completely.

I stopped by the gym tonight and sprinted on the elliptical for 35 minutes! I was sweaty and stinky and LOVIN' IT

Then I realized I haven't washed my workout clothes in a couple of weeks

Originally Posted by lunasmom

I stopped by the gym tonight and sprinted on the elliptical for 35 minutes! I was sweaty and stinky and LOVIN' IT

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Good for you!!

I didn't go to the gym today because I wasn't feeling very well. Still not feeling all that great, but I'm going tomorrow anyway.

Woo! I walked nearly 5 miles today!

I weigh 115lbs (53kgs) if I have my conversions right! So I don't think I need to lose weight, but I would like to tone up a bit. I'm happy with my dress size but I'd like to look better underneath the dress size!!
I'm also incredibly inactive... so I'm in.

Instead of walking to the bus stop today, I jogged! It's uphill by the way